Phoebe Snow, the great singer and musician who died last week at age 60, got a great send off today in New York. Among the stars and friends who showed up to pay their respects at Phoebe’s Buddhist ceremony were Steely Dan’s Donald Fagen, Paul Shaffer, Lesley Gore, actor Bob Balaban and his wife Lynn, May Pang, singers Fonzie Thornton and Janice Pendarvis, legendary record exec Bruce Lundvall, Ellyn Harris and PR maven Melani Rogers, and a host of local musicians who’d played with Phoebe over the years. Former President Bill Clinton sent a message of condolence. Howard Stern couldn’t make the funeral, but came on Sunday night to the wake, as did producer Russ Titelman. Roger Butterley and some musicians who’d toured with Phoebe performed a lovely version of “Poetry Man.” Phoebe’s tour manager and executor, Tony Melfa, helped put it all together and showed a video of Phoebe on “CBS Sunday Morning.” One thing I learned after thirty years: Phoebe was named for the great actress Phoebe Brand, founder of the Group Theater and wife of Shakespearean actor Morris Carnovsky. The Carnovskys were famously blacklisted after director Elia Kazan gave their names to the House Un-American Activities Committee. Thanks to Phoebe’s Uncle Bob for that information, and to her two close friends who spoke so beautifully. Phoebe, RIP.

Author

Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News. He writes for Parade magazine and has written for Details, Vogue, the New York Times, Post, and Daily News and many other publications. He is the writer and co-producer of "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals.

I remember seeing Phoebe on Saturday Night Live when I was a kid and I thought, WOW, what a voice! Another great loss to the world now, and I wish that she sees and does everything she hoped for while she was here during her journey.

What a gift to the planet Earth! I have been sad since I heard the news and I will be sad for a long time. I thank God/dess that I found Ms. Snow’s music with her Debut Lp. I mean, I was living in Wyoming at the time, so you know my higher power was making sure I found Something Real!

I was friend of Phoebe’s for quite a few years before we lost touch. She was a wonderful person, bright, funny and an amazing talent. She deserved more more success than she enjoyed. With all of the things that weighed on her shoulders she never complained. She was always interested in other people and genuinely happy for the good fortune of others. I will always be in awe of not just her talent, but what a profoundly devoted and loyal mother she was to her daughter. I cannot imagine how much she had suffered in the last few years and I pray that she is at peace now with her beautiful daughter Valerie.